Hip Dysplasia in Babies May Be Associated With Hip Osteoarthritis Later

Hip dysplasia, a common hip deformity in newborn babies, may be linked to the development of hip osteoarthritis later in life. Hip dysplasia -- a dislocation of the hip joint -- occurs when a baby is born with a shallow or deformed hip socket which allows the ball of the femur to slip out of place. Researchers from the University College London Institute of Child Health at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children have been given a grant from the Arthritis Research Campaign to study the effects of hip dysplasia in babies on the onset of osteoarthritis of the hip.

The researchers will be evaluating data from 5,000 Norwegian adolescents -- half of whom had a hip ultrasound when they were babies. Researchers will assess x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis at age 18 and 19 and compare with hip dysplasia at birth. Childhood size and growth are other factors that will be evaluated as researchers attempt to link hip dysplasia with hip osteoarthritis. The study is expected to shed light on how childhood abnormalities can affect joint health later in life.

Related Resources:

• Osteoarthritis Research
• Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
• X-ray Evidence of Osteoarthritis
• Joint Space Narrowing - What's the Significance?
• Hip Osteoarthritis - What You Need to Know

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